With the modern era's explosion of information technology, there is an increasing need for improved systems and devices to identify an inventory of connections. Whether in the setting of a business, home, or other, multiple devices may require connection. For example, a server may comprise multiple connections, such as, in particular, connections for communicating on a network. Similarly, a work station may require a connection to a network device in order to access the server; for example, an Ethernet television (ETV) may require connections to channels in an ETV server. Since technology and related standards may change over time in unpredictable and sometimes rapid ways, it is anticipated that some novel principles relating to improved systems and devices may have application for such advancements while still being immediate useful and compatible with existing network termination standards.
For example, a popular current networking standard ETHERNET uses both copper and fiber mediums to establish communication connections. The termination points (or connections) for these are standard across the industry. In typical current constructs, infrastructure and cabling are aggregated into communication facilities (whether for low or high density applications). Oftentimes the infrastructure itself is terminated into patch panels, which allow for final completion of the physical links into the communication equipment, sometimes referred to as “nodes” (such as computers, telephones, etc.), which may be located near or far from the patch panels. More specifically, physical links connecting the communications equipment and the patch panels are often connection cables. Generally, in order to establish a connection, the connection cables are first connected to the patch panel and from the patch panel the opposite end of the connection cable (sometimes known as the tail end) may connect to a particular communication device (e.g, router, switch, Ethernet TV (“ETV”) server, sound system), thus completing an end-to-end connection.
One problem with currently available systems and devices for network identification and inventory is that most do not allow for a correlation between patch panels and communication devices. Rather, such prior art systems and devices tend to rely heavily on a highly manual process sometimes called “tracing.” Some tracing processes consist of one information technology professional starting on one end or portion of a cable or connection and then tracing the cable by touch or by sight all the way back to an end point. This usually time-consuming process generally only allows one connection to be actively traced at a time, which process must be repeated for multiple if not all of the connections.
Those systems, methods, and devices for network identification and inventory that do attempt to alleviate the problems associated with tracing, by allowing for a correlation between patch panels and communication devices, mostly do so through the utilization of male connectors. In other words, said systems, methods, and devices utilize either the connection cables themselves or the ends of the connection cable that basically comprise one uniform piece with (or at not least are not easily detachable from) the connection cable itself. Producing many different male connectors and/or cables according to varying color codes, alphanumeric markings, etc., can be costly to produce and somewhat inefficient, as already-labeled male-side cables are likely limited to the purpose for which they are labeled. For example, if a standard cable labeled “22” needed to be replaced or reused, another entire standard cable labeled “22” would essentially be required.
Another problem associated with prior art systems and devices is that, while labels or similar writings may be attached to the “male” connector or cables, such labels are generally not reusable, and may fall off during the tracing process. Moreover, having to repeatedly label each new connection cable and/or male connector takes time and effort, may be wasteful, and may impose ongoing costs. By way example, creating temporary labels (yellow “stickies,” tape, or writing directly on the cable) for each connection cable with a disconnected end may not practical when multiple or many connections cables are removed for servicing or replacing a communication device, and relying purely on memory in such situations may be prone to error, if feasible at all.